1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a free-wheel, more particularly to a bicycle free-wheel having an improved construction.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional bicycle free-wheel includes a shaft, and a tubular hub member which is rotatably sleeved around the shaft and has two ends. A substantially hollow cylindrical driven member is rotatably sleeved around the shaft and fixed to one of the two ends of the hub member. The driven member has an outer face. A substantially hollow cylindrical driving member is rotatably sleeved around the driven member and has an inner face confronting the outer face of the driven member. The outer face of the driven member has a plurality of spaced wedge-shaped recesses formed thereon between the outer face of the driven member and the inner face of the driving member. Each of the wedge-shaped recesses has a shallower part and a deeper part. A plurality of W-shaped spring plates are respectively provided in the deeper parts of the wedge-shaped recesses. A plurality of clutch rollers are respectively provided in the wedge-shaped recesses, each of which abuts on the W-shaped spring plate. Each of the clutch rollers moves into the deeper part and presses the W-shaped spring plate to allow the driving member to be rotatable with respect to the driven member when the driving member is rotated in a first direction. Each of the clutch rollers is biased by the W-shaped spring plate and wedges into the shallower part to allow the driving member to rotate the driven member when the driving member is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction.
The resiliency of the W-shaped spring plate applied on the clutch roller is not uniform. The movement of the clutch roller is irregular and the wear caused to the clutch roller is disuniform. Therefore, the effective service life of the clutch rollers rapidly ends.